“From what I thought he said I imagined there was but one stream leading to the lake,” said the doctor’s son.

“Perhaps there is, Shep; but which is the one?”

“Don’t ask me.  One looks as good as the other.”

“On the map Lake Narsac is to the northwest of Firefly Lake,” came from Giant.  “Consequently I should say that we ought to take the stream flowing in that direction.”

“That sounds reasonable,” answered Snap, and the others nodded.

Coming along the watercourse they had managed to shoot several quail, of the sort known by many as partridge, and also some other birds.  Shep had likewise brought down two squirrels.  They had scared up several rabbits, but these had gotten away in the underbrush.

“Let us take a good rest before we go further,” said Shep, while he was eating.  “There is no use of our killing ourselves with rowing when we are only out for fun.”

The others agreed, and as a consequence they took a nap after the meal and did not get started again until three o’clock.

They soon found the stream they were on broad but shallow, and felt sure it would lead to the lake.  They kept on steadily until six o’clock, and then came to a halt at a point where the watercourse narrowed and ran between a series of jagged rocks.

“We ought to be getting to the lake pretty soon,” was Snap’s comment.  “Jed Sanborn told me we could make the trip from Firefly Lake in a day if we didn’t fool along the way.”

“Well, don’t forget that we stopped for a nap,” answered Whopper.  “Perhaps we’ll get there before it gets dark.”

Having passed the rocks, they found the stream broadening out once more.  The bottom was now muddy, and here and there grew large clumps of reeds and cattails.

“This seems to be more of a swamp than a lake,” was the comment of the doctor’s son.  “From what Jed Sanborn said I thought it was a narrow stream all the way to the lake.”

“So did I,” added Giant.  “I begin to feel that we have made a mistake.”

“If we have, you’re to blame,” grumbled Whopper.

“Oh, you were willing enough to come this direction,” answered Giant sharply.  “If we are wrong, you needn’t blame me.”

“It’s your fault!”

“Oh, don’t quarrel about it,” interposed Snap.  “We were all willing to come this way.  If we have made a mistake—–­” He did not finish.

“Don’t croak until you are sure we are mistaken,” said Shep.

A silence followed, and they moved on, the stream growing broader as they advanced.  It was a lonely spot, and as it grew darker the loneliness seemed to increase.  On all sides were the immense trees and dense brushwood, while the stream was dotted with little islands, covered with reeds and rushes and small, thorny bushes.

The sun had gone down, and as the darkness increased the boys looked at each other wonderingly.  This was not at all what they had expected.